5 key Normal Spinrad novels back in print/ebook

[Tamahome]

A review of 5 key Norman Spinrad novels, and oh by the way they're back in print and ebook:

https://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/iro...

Bug Jack Baron would be an interesting future S&L pick. :)

[Brian]

Norman Spinwha?

[John (Taloni)]

Spinrad. That takes me back.

So, long about 30 years back I was at a convention and a friendly young lady was hard-selling a Norman Spinrad book for a dime. I'd read some Spinrad, not my fave, but a decent author. I agreed to buy it and she said "yes!" enthusiastically, then asked me to pose for a picture with the book and the dime. I found the whole thing funny if bizarre and agreed.

After she took the pic she explained: The book had been given away free at conventions for at least a year, due to a mass overprinting. Her friend had bet her that no one would spend any amount of money for the book.

Well, I dunno if Spinrad was as bad as that story implies. I enjoyed him in my youth. I've read worse from more famous authors. Give his books a read! Especially if you can get them cheap. :)

[Tamahome]

He wrote the Doomsday episode of Star Trek. :)

[Clyde]

I particularly liked his Riding the Torch.
Child of Fortune is also quite good, and it is also something really different.

[Scott]

Heh, I recommended Little Heroes in another S&L thread not too long ago. It was the first book of his that I read. Very kinetic and cyberpunk-y, a good intro to his writing for me at the time. I've read a bunch of his stuff since, and I agree that Bug Jack Barron would be a good pick.
I also really liked Russian Spring and also enjoyed Child of Fortune and The Void Captain's Tale

He also is highly regarded by Harlan Ellison, and that's good enough for me!

[Tamahome]

He had a good story in Dangerous Visions, Carcinoma Angels.

Damn, Scott. If you wrote short little reviews for these things, I would *like* them.

[Scott]

I'll see what I can do about that, Tamahome.